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  • Woodside Library – Latest update

    Woodside Library – Latest update

    We’re pleased to provide an update regarding Woodside Library. We have now appointed a new contractor, Weatheroak Developments, who will be completing the remaining works on the library.

    The works will resume with the new contractor from Monday 11 August. Please be advised that there will be vehicles moving on site before 10am while works continue, so colleagues are asked to be mindful of this when moving around the area during those key pre-opening hours.

    It is hoped that works will be completed this year, in preparation for opening in 2026.

    Future updates on progress will be shared via our usual channels when we have them.

  • A mid-year Collections Development Group update

    A mid-year Collections Development Group update

    Thank you all for your continued support in helping the Collections & Interpretation team promote and implement our Collections Donations Procedure. 

    We’re really pleased to say that we’re seeing a noticeable reduction in unsolicited donations being left onsite or sent in without prior contact. This is a brilliant step forward – so thank you for your help in making this happen. It’s making a real difference in helping us enhance the collection responsibly, with the right due diligence in place. 

    You can find a copy of the  Collections Donations Procedure here.

    We also have printed leaflets available across the site to hand out to prospective donors so they’re guided through the donation process.  

    Last year, we established our  Collections Development Group, a cross-team group that meets monthly to review proposed donations and develop the designated collection. 

    Please, see here  a few highlights from the past six months.

    Thank you again for helping us strengthen, safeguard and share our collection.  

    If you have any questions or suggestions, or come across potential donations, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team [email protected]  

  • Large format printer – reminders

    Large format printer – reminders

    When using the large format printer, there are a few important things to keep in mind to ensure everyone can continue printing their posters, signs, etc., and that we respect our colleagues.

    • If you’ve never used the large format printer before, instructions can be found in the large folder next to the PC by the printer in the Canal Side office.
    • Please let Hannah or Luke know straight away if the paper runs out or is running low. If they aren’t notified in time and we completely run out, especially in the lead-up to an event, it can cause a major operational issue, as we won’t be able to print signs, menus, or other essential materials.
    • Avoid wasting paper, and be mindful of the purpose of your poster and the type of paper needed.
    • When you finish a roll, replace it immediately and then let Hannah or Luke know.
  • Windrush stories day – colleague survey

    Windrush stories day – colleague survey

    We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of our Windrush Stories Day event on Saturday 21 June.
    We’re proud to share that we exceeded our visitor target of 1,350, welcoming over 1,600 attendees! Notably, 39% of our visitors were from African Caribbean and mixed heritage backgrounds—a significant increase from just 10% in 2024. This reflects the growing visibility of this event and the continued work we have done with communities.
    We’ve already received some wonderful feedback from visitors who joined us on the day, and we’d love to hear from you too. Please take a few minutes to complete our staff survey with your response to the programme.
    • 93% of visitors “enjoyed their visit”
    • 85% of visitors rated their overall experience of the programme as “good” or “excellent”
    • 72% of visitors “learnt that the museum represented their heritage”
    • 71% of visitors gained a deeper appreciation of the challenges that the Windrush Generation faced.
    • 76% of visitors rated the quality of the trail leaflet as “excellent” or “good”
    Responses
    • “It was very well organised, easy to get around. The actors were amazing and the choir in the church were out of this world.
    • “I attended the Windrush event which meant the black community in the Black Country was represented…the presence of our history within the museum filled the missing gap.”
    • “All things going on for Windrush day the food activities and the people made it special so much fun and learn so much”
    • “…more Caribbean music around the park to create a atmosphere”
    • “I feel there could have been more activities/sessions regarding the Windrush. More actors/actresses on the streets.”
    • “Additional food Caribbean food stalls to reduce queueing and wait times”
  • Creating a Menopause-Friendly Workplace

    Creating a Menopause-Friendly Workplace

    We are committed to fostering an open and supportive environment for everyone experiencing menopause symptoms. Our updated Menopause Policy is designed to help make our Museum understanding and inclusive, ensuring that managers and colleagues feel comfortable having open conversations about menopause-related issues.

    The policy outlines what support is available and how to access it, making sure those affected by menopause know where to turn for help and guidance.

    This policy applies to all colleagues – including employees, casual workers, and volunteers.

    🧡 Menopause Champions are here to listen, support, and help signpost you to the right resources (attached)

    If you have any questions please email [email protected]

  • Celebration Weekend – Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 July

    Celebration Weekend – Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 July

    Following our recent triumph at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, we’re hosting an exciting Celebration Weekend on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July. This public event will be filled with summer fun, freebies, and a whole lot of bostin’ Black Country spirit for our visitors!

    Here’s what our visitors can look forward to this weekend:

    • Cool down with a free Marshfield’s Farm ice cream* topped with a BCLM wafer, in a range of delicious flavours
    • Take a spin on the vintage fairground, with one free ride per child**.
    • Join the lively Gamesmaster in Folkes Park for classic sports day fun—test your skills in the egg & spoon race, limbo your way to glory, or prove you can skip better than your dad!
    • Step into Audree’s School of Dance and have a go at some dances through the decades with the historical dance teacher
    • Meet costumed historic characters, enjoy live heritage demonstrations, and take part in hands-on activities across the Museum’s immersive open-air site.
    • Celebrate everything that’s bostin about the Black Country, from its industrial roots to its unmistakable wit and warmth.
    • Explore their newly expanded 1940s–60s town, where stories from living memory come to life in an unforgettable, interactive experience.

     

    Plus, in case you missed our last post, we’ll be celebrating with colleagues too with a dedicated staff celebration in the Autumn – more details on this to follow.

  • Coming This Autumn: Colleague Thank You Event

    Coming This Autumn: Colleague Thank You Event

    As a sincere thank you for your incredible dedication, the Leadership Team and Trustees are delighted to share that we’ll be hosting a Colleague Thank You Event this September.

    This event is a chance to celebrate and recognise the amazing achievements you’ve made possible, including:

    • Winning VisitEngland’s Large Visitor Attraction of the Year 2025!
    • Delivering our busiest ever month for venue hire and events this June.
    • Seeing education visitor numbers return to 2019 levels for the first time since Covid.
    • Supporting what is shaping up to be a very busy summer period ahead.

    Your commitment, creativity and teamwork have been outstanding, and we want to take this opportunity to show our deep appreciation for everything you do.

    More details about the event will follow soon – but for now, please know how much your efforts mean to all of us.

  • Colleague Consultative Forum – Nominations Open

    Colleague Consultative Forum – Nominations Open

    There is currently a vacancy on the Colleague Consultative Forum (CCF) within the volunteer constituency. As a nomination has been received, we would like to ask for any further nominations for the volunteer representative position.

    The closing date for nominations will be Friday 27th June 2025. Elections will be held following this date if we have multiple candidates for this role. If the candidate for nomination is unopposed, volunteer constituents will be invited to endorse their candidature.

    If you would like to be considered as a CCF representative for the Volunteer constituency you will need;

    • To be engaged by the Museum as a volunteer.
    • Have a colleague who is also a volunteer propose your nomination.
    • Have another colleague who is also a volunteer second your nomination.

    In the interest of ensuring a cross representation of the Museum, the 2 representatives in the Volunteer constituency cannot be from the same team. Therefore, nominations will only be accepted from volunteers outside of the Community Advisory Panel.

    To put yourself forward, please complete and return a nomination form to the People Team (based at Hartills) either by hand, deposited in the black post box just inside the entrance to Hartills offices, or via email to [email protected].

  • Wedding photoshoot – we need your help! (updated)

    Wedding photoshoot – we need your help! (updated)

    Could you be a model for our upcoming wedding photoshoot? We need wedding guests for our photoshoot this July!

    As some of you may already know, we are keen to continue developing our venue hire offer and have been in long discussions with various teams about offering wedding reception packages here at the Museum. In the short term, this will be a package after we close for the day on an exclusive hire basis. Excitingly, we are now ready to promote our ‘Union Package’ based in the Workers’ Institute, and our ‘Link Package’ based in the Bottle & Glass Inn and get the word out to any happy new couples.

    The promotion side is where we need your help! With the help of Audience and Comms, we have planned a mock wedding reception photoshoot for Thursday 3 July from 5-8/9pm, where we will be inviting in two photographers to photograph up to three “couples” (these don’t have to be real couples!) and their ‘fake wedding guests’ in formal attire so we can promote these packages. Following casting, we will speak to our bride and groom models about costume.

    We are keen to represent our wider community as part of the shoot, so we would welcome any kinds of couples to come forward.

    Photos from this shoot will be used in promotional material by the Museum and may also be submitted to key publications such as wedding magazines as part of advertising. Participants will be required to sign consent forms expressing agreement of the use of images.

    If you would be happy to either participate as a guest or as part of a couple and are available on this date, please contact Alice as soon as possible to discuss further – either via email at [email protected] or pop to Canalside to chat to her. Nibbles and a selection of drinks will be provided during the shoot!

  • Our Museum wins gold in the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year award!

    Our Museum wins gold in the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year award!

    🏆 We’ve done it – National Gold for Black Country Living Museum!

    Announced last night at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence

    We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that Black Country Living Museum has been awarded Gold for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence!

    This is a huge honour—and a moment of real pride not just for the Museum, but for the entire Black Country. It recognises the stories we tell, the unique experience we offer, and the heart and soul our people put into every visit.

    🌟 Top spot in a tough field

    We were proud to be named a national finalist alongside two outstanding attractions:

    • Liverpool Football Club Tours & Experiences
    • The National Space Centre

    To then be awarded Gold ahead of these incredible venues makes this recognition even more special.

    This year’s competition was fierce, with over 1,800 entries across the country at the start of the journey to the final. To come out on top is a remarkable achievement.

    👏 This award belongs to you

    This success is only possible because of you—our dedicated staff and volunteers. Whether you’re working front of house, behind the scenes, or anywhere in between, your passion, hard work, and warmth shape every visitor’s experience.

    We know how much pride and care you bring to what you do, and this award is a clear reflection of that.

    🤝 Powered by the bostin promise

    At the core of this win is our Bostin Promise—our commitment to providing a consistently outstanding visitor experience. This recognition reinforces how important that promise is and the difference it makes every day.

    📣 More to come…

    We’ll be sharing more in the coming days on how we plan to celebrate this news and communicate it with visitors, partners, and the wider community. Keep an eye out for updates!

    For now—thank you and congratulations. This win is yours, and it’s something we can all be immensely proud of.